Novelty lighter



J. P. KOHUT NOVELTY LIGHTER Nov; 16, 1948.

Filed Feb. 21, 1946 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. I JO5EPl-l I? KOHUT FIG.

ATTOQNEV Patented Nov. 16, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NOVELTY LIGHTER Joseph P. Kohut, United States Navy Application February 21, 1946, Serial No. 649,430 2 Claims. (01. 67-71) (Granted under the act of March 3, amended April 30, 1928; 370 0.

This invention relates to an improvement in small fuel consuming lighters of the type used by smokers.

An object of the present device is to provide a cigarette lighter having the shape of and simulating a round of ammunition.

Another object is to provide a cigarette lighter that is to be sold as a novelty which offers better performance than most cigarette lighters its size.

Another object is to provide a novelty cigarette lighter that has a large fuel capacity for its size.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, as well as its construction, arrangement and operation, will be apparent from the following description and claims in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the lighter in operation.

The embodiment enclosed in Fig. 1 comprises a casing or chamber III that is adapted to contain any suitable inflammable lighter fluid. A cylinder I I makes a friction fit with the internal wall of the casing I and has a perforated lug I2 rising from the top of the cylinder I I for positioning an end of the wick I3 exposed, the wick I3 extending from its exposed end through the perforation of lug I2 into the casing I0.

A pair of oppositely disposed parallel posts I 4 are welded or soldered to the inner wall of the cylinder I I. Pivotally secured to these posts I4 are a pair of offset arms I5 which also are pivoted at their other ends to the flint housing I6. The sparking wheel I! rotates about the pivot rod I8 and a flint piece 20 lies in a flint housin I6 which in turn is threaded to the support 2I that simulates the projectile portion of the ammunition round and that may be made of lead to more closely add to the reality in appearance of a 30 calibre projectile or the like.

A spring 22 lies within the flint housing I6 and it urges the flint 20 towards the sparking wheel I1. The screw 23 keeps the spring 22 under tension. The flint 20 or spring 22 is replaced by unscrewing the support 2| from the flint housing I6 and then unscrewing the screw 23. A reenforcing bar 24 reenforces the arms I5 and prevents their bending or distortion.

The sleeve 25 fits to slide over the cylinder II to thereby become secured to chamber I0, and the support 2I fits into the other end of the sleeve 25 and projects therefrom when the lighter is in closed condition shown in Figure 1. The sleeve 25 and chamber I0 secured in the position shown in Figure 1 complete simulation of the p 1883, as G. 757) 2 cartridge case portion of the round, the support 2! projecting from the end of the sleeve 25 simulating the projectile portion of the round.

When the sleeve 25 is removed, the support 2| swings 0n the hinge I5 to fall into position adjacent to the chamber I0 with the sparking wheel I! in position for igniting the end of wick I3, as shown in Figure 2. The lighter can then be lit in the conventional manner by turning the sparking wheel I1 to strike the flint 20 and cause the resulting spark to light the wick I3. The screw 2! is removable for refueling the lighter.

The present invention, by having a separate compartment for the flint shaft, removes a major area through which evaporation of fuel takes place. In most small cigarette lighters, because of the small capacity of the fuel chamber, positioning the flint shaft in the fuel space is undesirable. By locating the flint shaft in the head of the lighter, in the manner sh'own, simulation of the novelty ammunition round is maintained, yet the fuel capacity of the casing I0 is not diminished by the flint shaft.

Moreover, the swivel attachment permits the spark wheel I1 to be at a distance furth'er from the wick I3 than is usually found in novelty lighters of the type described herein. This increase in distance of the flint and spark wheel from the wick prevents damping of the flint by the wick; this damping effect often occurs with wicks too close to the flint. All the moving parts of the present novelty lighter are well protected from dirt and grime by the sliding body 25.

Slight modifications in the front housing of the bullet shaped lighter may be made; for e ample, the top screw 23 may be sweated onto the bullet tip 2I and come off with it, or the screw 23 can be entirely eliminated and a sufficiently tense spring can be used in the opening that houses the screw and spring. The modifications would not depart from one of the objects of this invention, namely, the location of the flint in the forward portion of the bullet, away from the fuel chamber.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cigarette lighter simulating a com,-

plete round of ammunition in the form of a projectile and cartridge case, a pair of hinged chambers movable side by side into operating position, a Wick protruding from one chamber, sparking means in the other chamber and being disposed a predetermined distance from the wick, and a detachable sleeve secured to the peripheries of both chambers, the several chambers projecting from opposite ends of the sleeve when it is in secured position, the chamber containing the sparking means simulating the projectile, and the sleeve with the chamber containing the wick simulating the cartridge case of the complete round.

2. In a novelty lighter simulating a complete round of ammunition, an inflammable fluid containing chamber in the cartridge case portion of the simulated round, a wick protruding from said chamber, sparking means in the projectile portion of the simulated round, hinge means connecting the chamber to the projectile portion. of

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 995,463 Hubert June 20, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 224,816 France June 26, 1922 365,563 Germany Dec. 18, 1922 

